Bed-couch.



No. 796,493. PATENTED AUG. 3, .1905.

J. J. BRAZNE-LL.

BED COUCH. .APPLIcATm: rum) 13110.9, 1904.

INVENTOR rromvE'rsi WITNESSES: 16 I I 6 %m 36 3 JohnJZBraznel1. MM

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BED-COUCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1905.

Applicati n fil d Deeember 9,1904. Serial No. 236,093.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. BRAZNELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bed-Couches, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of beds known as bed-couches, which are adapted to be used either as a bed or a couch, and

more particularly to that form of bed-couch in which the bed-frame is composed of a center section and two side sections, the side sections being held horizontally substantially in line with the center section when the device is used as a bed and folded down substan-- tially at right angles to the center section when it is used as a couch. In all bedcouches of this class with which I am acquainted the legs have been rigidly secured to the center section of the bed-bottom and the side sections have been adapted to assume only two positions, as above described. These bed-couches are satisfactory when in use as a bed or a couch. They are, however, verybulky for storage or for shipment.

The object of my invention is to providea bed-couch in which the legs are made to fold and the side sections are adapted not only to fold downwardly at right angles to the center section, but to fold upwardly and inwardly substantially parallel with said center section, and in this manner I am enabled to compactly fold the entire device so that it occupies but little room and is therefore well adapted for storage or shipment.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of bed-couch made in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is an end view showing the device in position to be used as a bed. Fig. 2 is a cross-section showing one of the side sections folded downwardly and the other folded upwardly and inwardly. Fig. 3 is a side view, the parts being in the same position as shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 1 is an end view showing the de-' vice folded for shipment or storage.

Like marks of reference refer to similar parts in the several views of the drawings.

represents the end rails of the center section, 11 the end rails of the side sections, and

12 the side rails of the side sections.- These rails 10, 11, and 12 are preferably made of angle-iron. The side sections are secured to the center section by hinges 1 which are shaped as best shown in Fig. 1, so as to en able the side sections not only to fold downwardly at right angles to the center section, as shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 2, but also to fold upwardly and inwardly substantially parallel with the said center'section, as shown in the left-hand side of Fig. 2 and in Fig. 4. Secured to the end rails 10 of the center section by means of pivots 15 are the legs 16. The legs 16 are rigidly secured together in pairs at each side of the center section by means of struts 17 and tie-rods 18. EX- tending between the struts 17 and the legs 16 are braces 19. In order to hold the side sections of the bed-bottom frame horizontally substantially in line with the center section, I provide the said side sections with braces 20. These braces 20 are pivoted to the side sections at 21 and are provided at or near their inner ends with notches 22. These braces 20 pass through openings 23 in the legs 16, and the notches 22 are adapted to engage with the lower edges of said openings to hold the side pieces in horizontal positiongas best shown in Fig. 1. Secured to each of the end rails 10 by means of a pivot 25 are a pair of braces 26. These braces 26 are provided with notches 27, which are adapted to engage with headed studs28 on the legs 16 in order to hold the said legs in position when the device is in use. At or near the lower end of each of the legs 16 is a notch 30, which is adapted to engage with the headed stud 31 on a foot-piece 32. The foot-pieces 32 are preferably provided with casters 33. In order to prevent the accidental disengagement of the notches from the studs 31 and the notches 27 from the studs 28, I provide tie-rods 34. The ends of the tie-rods 3. are flattened and provided with notches 35, which engage with headed studs 36 on the legs 16. Each of the said tie-rods 34 is provided with a turn buckle 38, by means of which the rod is tightened in order to hold the parts firmly in position. The bed-bottom frame is provided with any suitable form of bed-bottom, preferably a spring-wire fabric. (Not shown.) This bed-bottom is secured to the frame when in use only.

When my device is in use as a bed, the side frames are raised into the position shown in Fig. 1, when the notches 22 will engage with the lower edges of the openings 23 in the legs, and the parts will then be held firmly in position for use as a bed. By disengaging the notches 22 from the lower edges of the openings 23 both the side frames can be folded downwardly substantially at right angles to the center section of the frame, as shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 2, and the device can then be used as a couch. In order to store or ship the device, the tie-rods 34 are disengaged from the legs 16 by loosening the turnbuckle 38 and disengaging the notches 35 from the studs 36. The notches 27 of the pivoted braces 26 can then be disengaged from the studs 28, which will allow the notches 30 in the lower end of the legs to be disengaged from the studs 31, thus removing the footpieces 32. The legs 16 can then be folded up again. The center section of the bed-bottom frame and the side sections of the frame can be folded upwardly and inwardly substantially parallel with the said frame, as shown in Fig. 4. In this condition the device can be readily stored or shipped, as it is very compact in form.

Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a bed-couch, the combination with a main bed-bottom frame, of legs carried by said frame, and a side frame pivoted to said main frame to fold downwardly substantially at right angles to the said main frame and upward and inwardly substantially parallel therewith.

2. Inabed-couch,the combination with folding legs, of a bed-bottom frame composed of a center and two folding side sections, the center section of said frame being attached to said legs, and the side sections being adapted to fold downwardly substantially at right angles to the said center section and upwardly and inwardly substantially parallel therewith.

3. In a bed-couch, the combinationwith a bed-bottom frame, of legs pivotally attached to said frame, braces pivoted to said frame and detachably secured to said legs, and foot-pieces detachably secured to said legs.

4. In a bed-couch, the combination with a bed-bottom frame, of legs pivotally attached to said frame, braces pivoted to said frame and detachably secured to said legs, foot-pieces detachably secured to said legs, and tie-rods detachably secured to said legs between said braces and foot-pieces.

5. In a bed-couch, the combination with a bed-bottom frame, of legs pivotally attached to saidframe, braces pivoted to said frame and detachably secured to said legs, foot-pieces detachably secured to said legs, tie-rods de tachably secured to said legs between said braces and foot-pieces, and turnbuckles in said tie-rods.

6. In a bed-couch, the combination with a bed-bottom frame, consisting of a center section and two folding side sections, of legs pivoted to said center section and rigidly connected in pairs at each side thereof, braces pivoted to said side sections and detachably secured to said center section and detachably secured to said legs, and connections extending between said pairs of legs below said braces.

7. In a bed-couch, the combination with a bed-bottom frame, composed of a center section and two folding side sections, of legs secured to said center section, said side sections being adapted to fold downwardly substantially at right angles to said center section and to fold upwardly and inwardly substantially parallel therewith, and braces pivoted to said side sections and detachably secured to said legs to hold said side sections in position.

, 8. In a bed-couch, the combination with a bed-bottom frame, composed of a center section and two folding side sections, oflegs pivoted to said center section, said side sections being adapted to fold downwardly substantially at right angles to said center section and upwardly and inwardly substantially parallel therewith, braces pivoted to said side sections and detachably secured to said legs to hold said side sections substantially in the same plane as said center section, braces pivoted to said center section and detachably secured to said legs, and connections between said legs.

9. In a bed-couch, the combination with a bed-bottom frame, composed of a center section and two folding side sections, of legs pivoted to said center section and rigidly connected in pairs at each side thereof, said side sections being adapted to fold downwardly substantially at right angles to said center section and to fold upwardly and inwardly substantially parallel therewith, braces piv oted to said side sections and detachably secured to said legs to hold said sidesections substantially in the same plane with said center section, braces pivoted to said center section and detachably secured to said legs, footpieces detachably secured to said legs, and tie-rods extending between said pairs of legs and detachably secured thereto.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN J. BRAZNELL.

Witnesses: BENNETTE PIKE,

J AMES H. BRYSON. 

